Figure 1 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
The Jewish Vote and the 2010 Election November 2010
Figure 2
Methodology!
• National survey of 1,000 Jewish voters in 2010 election conducted November 2, 2010; margin of error +/- 3.1 percent
• Pennsylvania statewide survey of 600 Jewish voters in 2010 election conducted November 2, 2010; margin of error +/- 4 percent
• Illinois 9th CD survey of 400 Jewish registered voters conducted October 18-24, 2010 (no calls made on Jewish Sabbath); margin of error +/- 4.9 percent
• National survey conducted by web-based panel of 900,000 Americans, and administered by email invitation; respondents re-screened as Jewish in order to be eligible for the survey
• Pennsylvania and Illinois surveys conducted by telephone, calling a random sample of registered voters with Jewish names and people who self-identify as Jewish in consumer data that has been appended to the voter file
J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Figure 3 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Key Findings!
• Jewish vote overwhelmingly went to Democratic candidates despite dramatic shift in the 2010 national electorate
• The economy dominated the issue environment for Jews; Israel was a minor issue
• Israel-centric attacks on Sestak and Schakowsky were ineffective and only resonated with partisans whose vote was not contested
• President Obama remains very strong with Jewish voters
• American Jews seek active U.S. leadership in resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict
• Most Jews want some form of settlement freeze in the West Bank
Figure 4 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
2010 Pennsylvania Vote
Figure 5 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
2010 Vote for Senate, Governor!
Figure 6
Senate and Gubernatorial Vote By Denomination!
J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Figure 7
Senate and Gubernatorial Vote By Non-Orthodox Age!
J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Figure 8 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Voted for Sestak, Considered Toomey!
Figure 9 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Voted for Toomey, Considered Sestak!
Figure 10 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Top TWO Issues in Deciding 2010 PA Senate Vote!
Figure 11
How Issue Preferences Affected Voting Decision!
J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Voted Sestak, Did Not Consider Toomey
Voted Sestak, Considered Toomey
Voted Toomey, Considered Sestak
Voted Toomey, Did Not Consider Sestak
The economy 53 74 46 50
Health care 38 24 40 27
Education 19 20 11 2
Social Security and Medicare 19 5 9 6
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan 14 13 3 3
The environment 9 2 5 2
The deficit and government spending 7 12 27 37
Taxes 6 9 7 22
Israel 6 10 16 12
Terrorism and national security 4 12 12 12
Illegal immigration 1 3 2 5
Iran 0 4 2 0
Figure 12 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Sestak and Toomey on the Issues!Do you think Democrat Joe Sestak or Republican Pat Toomey would do a better job on this issue?
Fighting for the things that are most important for me
Figure 13
How Issue Positions Affected Voting!
J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Voted Sestak, Did Not Consider Toomey
Voted Sestak, Considered Toomey
Voted Toomey, Considered Sestak
Voted Toomey, Did Not Consider Sestak
Fighting for the things that are most important
for me Sestak +86 Sestak +51 Toomey +28 Toomey +77
Social Security and Medicare Sestak +85 Sestak +30 Toomey +17 Toomey +72
The economy and jobs Sestak +84 Sestak +26 Toomey +40 Toomey +85
National security Sestak +71 Sestak +24 Toomey +26 Toomey +64
Supporting Israel Sestak +52 Sestak +5 Toomey +37 Toomey +68
Do you think Democrat Joe Sestak or Republican Pat Toomey would do a better job on this issue?
Figure 14 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Favorability Ratings: Democrats Very Strong, Republicans Donʼt Gain Traction!
Figure 15 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed Attack has Modest Penetration!
Did you see any television advertisements criticizing Congressman Joe Sestak’s positions on trying terrorist Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in a courthouse instead of a military tribunal?
Figure 16 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
KSM Attack has Little Impact!(Among all respondents) Did this criticism make you more likely to support Joe Sestak, more likely to support his opponent Pat Toomey or make no difference?
Figure 17
KSM Attack by Party!
J Street 2010 Election Surveys
(Among all respondents) Did this criticism make you more likely to support Joe Sestak, more likely to support his opponent Pat Toomey or make no difference?
Democrat Independent Republican
Total more likely Sestak 14 8 1
Total more likely Toomey 1 6 11
No difference/Haven’t heard 84 83 87
Figure 18 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Israel Criticism of Sestak Largely Unnoticed!
Have you seen, read or heard about any criticism of Congressman Joe Sestak’s positions on Israel?
Figure 19 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Most Voters are Unaffected!(Among all respondents) Did this criticism make you more likely to support Joe Sestak, more likely to support his opponent Pat Toomey or make no difference?
Figure 20 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Criticism Moves Small Numbers: Only Speaks to Republicans!
(Among all respondents) Did this criticism make you more likely to support Joe Sestak, more likely to support his opponent Pat Toomey or make no difference?
Democrat Independent Republican
Total more likely Sestak 6 3 3
Total more likely Toomey 2 12 28
No difference/Haven’t heard 91 84 69
Figure 21 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Agreement with Obamaʼs Policies on Israel, Split on Execution!
Figure 22 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
2010 National Jewish Vote
Figure 23 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
2010 Vote for Congress!
Figure 24
Congressional Vote By Denomination!
J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Figure 25 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Voted for Democrat, Considered Republican!
Figure 26 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Voted for Republican, Considered Democrat!
Figure 27 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Top TWO Issues in Deciding 2010 Congressional Vote, Nationwide!
Figure 28 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Rising Confidence in Country Direction under Obama!
Figure 29 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Obama Approval!
Obama as President Obama on the economy Obama on the Arab-Israeli conflict
Figure 30 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Agreement with Obamaʼs Policies on Israel, Split on Execution!
Figure 31 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Presidential and Congressional Approval!
Barack Obama U.S. Congress
Figure 32 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Favorability Ratings!
Figure 33
Issues By Waverers!
J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Voted Democratic, Did Not Consider
Republican
Voted Democratic, Considered Republican
Voted Republican, Considered Democrat
Voted Republican, Did Not Consider
Democrat
The economy 66 56 50 60
Health care 37 24 26 24
Social Security and Medicare 16 16 25 13
Education 13 16 10 5
Terrorism and national security 13 10 11 16
The deficit and government spending 12 17 19 32
Taxes 10 15 21 20
The environment 9 9 6 1
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan 6 12 4 4
Israel 4 9 10 9
Illegal immigration 4 6 8 10
Energy 3 6 5 1
Iran 1 0 0 1
Figure 34 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Jewish Support for Active U.S. Role Remarkably Stable!
U.S. playing an active role Even if it means U.S. publicly disagreeing with both sides
Even if it means U.S. exerting pressure on both sides
Figure 35 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Support Drops and Jews are Split over Singling Out Israel!
Figure 36 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Jews Continue to See Conflict as Core U.S. Interest and Seek Assertive Diplomacy!
Statement 1: Middle East peace is a core American interest, and the United States should use assertive
diplomacy to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Statement 2: Only the parties themselves can make peace, and the United States should let the Palestinians and Israelis work out the conflict on their own.
Figure 37 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
United States Should Be An Honest Broker!
The United States should act as a fair and impartial broker in order to achieve a peace
agreement between Israelis and Palestinians.
The United States should side with Israel during peace negotiations in order to protect America’s democratic ally Israel.
Figure 38 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Israel Should Not Expand East Jerusalem Settlements!
I support Israel, but it must stop taking actions that violate United States policy such as building
in East Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the Jewish people, and the United States must not interfere with Israel's policies in Jerusalem.
Figure 39 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Israel Should Not Expand West Bank Settlements!
I support Israel, but it must stop taking actions that violate United States policy such as
expanding Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
Expanding Jewish settlements in the West Bank is necessary to accommodate natural growth, and the United States must not interfere with Israel's policies in the West Bank.
Figure 40 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Settlement Construction in the West Bank!
Figure 41 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Support for a Two-State Solution!(SPLIT SAMPLE) I support a two-state solution that declares an end to the Palestinian-
Israeli conflict, resulting in all Arab countries establishing full diplomatic ties with Israel and creating an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza.
July 2008 November 2010
Figure 42 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Support for a Two-State Solution with East Jerusalem as Capital of Palestinian State!
(SPLIT SAMPLE) I support a two-state solution that declares an end to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, resulting in all Arab countries establishing full diplomatic ties with Israel and
creating an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza, with its capital in East Jerusalem.
Figure 43 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Two-State Solution Necessary for Israelʼs Security!
A two-state solution is necessary to strengthen Israeli security and ensure Israel's Jewish democratic character.
July 2008 November 2010
Figure 44 J Street 2010 Election Surveys
Two-State Solution Important for American Security!
A two-state solution is an important national security interest for the United States.
July 2008 November 2010